genuine windows xp

Hi folks
I had a computer built around 2 years ago by a friend at work. Several months ago I was told by windows that my copy was not genuine. I ended up having so many problems that I had to format my hd. At that point I realised that my windows cd was a copy.
My daughter was trying to download google earth and it will not download because I cannot download the new service pack 2 without going through the whole genuine thing again.
Does anyone know if I can bypass this...please!

Thanks for your prompt reply...I always purchase my software (or at least I thought I did)! I suppose when I think about it, what I am asking is attempted piracy!
I have had nothing but problems with this pc, blue screen of dead etc. is there another version of windows that does not have so many driver conflicts or am I best to purchase windows xp?

You'll probably be best to purchase XP to be honest. I'm sorry to have to say that, but it's true (unless you're comfortable with using Linux, your hardware is suitable for it, and it suits your needs).

Xp doesn't usually have too many driver conflicts though, I must say. Perhaps it's just because you have a particular and unusual setup, or perhaps because it's a bad copy?

By the way, if you thought you were being sold a genuine copy of XP, and you're willing to do it, I believe you can get yourself a free or reduced price version of XP if you report the retailer/trader to MS. It would be pretty dishonest of you if you knew what you were getting when you bought it, but if you were told it was genuine, it was pretty dishonest of him!

I paid about £600 for the computer, I have a large hd because I wanted it to get all my camcorder tapes onto dvd...the problems I have had are codec problems. The guy that built it I worked with, he left about a year ago so I have no contact with him...I didn't ask if it was genuine because it never entered my head that it wouldn't be...as a single female I expect to be stitched up with my car but a computer?!!!!! Will only happen once!
What do you know about drivermagics, I have looked at it and find it hard to believe that one piece of software can direct you to update all your drivers? Sorry do I need to do another post?

I've not heared of it. It's not really possible for one single piece of software to update ALL of your drivers, but it's possble for it to have signatures for a vast variety of pieces of hardware, which it can use to download new drivers from the web

As for the codec conflicts, they happen quite a lot on any os if you don't know about them. The big one to watch out for at the moment is DivX and Xvid. They're similar codecs, and so don't play well together. If you have both, uninstall divX and re-install XviD with the latest version - XviD can play DivX anyway.

Do you get paid to do this? Thank you so much if you don't!
How do I uninstall divx and reinstall xvid? sorry to be thick, I don't know where to look to see if I have even got them! Somewhere in all the tuneup and virus checkers I have on my pc (all paid for)! I can remember asking not to install codec!

What do you know about drivermagics, I have looked at it and find it hard to believe that one piece of software can direct you to update all your drivers?

Click to expand...

Driver magic pro is a legit program.I tried it out a while back and found it so complicated I gave up.
That might be more of a reflection on me than the program.Maybe they`ve simplified it a bit over the years.

Ha Ha I only know what lol means because my 8 year old daughter uses that! you must be mad, very kind, board to tears with life or very sad to help people like me and not get paid for it!!
I have checked add and remove programs and I have not installedd any divx or xvid. My problems started with Magix software, it's the best for making movies but windows xp does not seen to like it!
Are you based in UK? You seem too nice to be English?

Ah, That's because I'm not English. I'm Welsh (which is in the UK - good guess)

As for...

you must be mad, very kind, board to tears with life or very sad

Click to expand...

...guilty on all counts ( ), but rest assured helping you hasn't been a chore in the slightest - quite the opposite. I get great satisfaction from knowing I've helped a complete stranger in some way, but it's even better when a complete stranger is particularly nice in return. It's nice to be appreciated

That magix software, I'm afraid I know very little about that application either. What do you use it for specifically? There may be something more suitable to reccommend.

Spike
Welsh - I love Wales used to go there on holiday when I was a child, I'm a Yorkshire lass! I think you are kind not sad!
Magix is novies on cd & dvd version 2.0 I use it to edit and burn my camcorder footage to dvd, it's very simple to use, I won't say like me!!
Sumstoned
Thanks for the advice I will look at driver genius.
RealBlackStuff
I looked at your link...I do not have a problem with magix software, it's easy to use and burns fine...I think it's windows xp or my computer that doesn't like it. Since installing it I keep getting the blue screen telling me to uninstall the latest driver. I have formatted my hard drive, somewhere I have checked something so I don't download codec and touch wood everything seems ok. I think it was in conflict with something else as I had sonic my dvd installed also...who knows!